Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Architecture of the Pantheon and its History Essay

Architecture of the Pantheon and its History - Essay Example The ancient look of the porch provides no clue of the surprise inside, which is planned as an inside space of huge size. WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benedetti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. The inside of the dome is furnished with five concentric circles of deeply-sunk coffers, 28 in each ring. At the top of the dome is an oculus (8.2 meters in diameter), the only means of the natural light illuminating all the corners of the dome internally. The building is totally made of concrete, the overall attentively selected from the heavy travertine and tufa of the lower walls, through tufa and brick, brick only, and brick and pumice, to pumice only near the oculus. As it reaches the top level, the shell of the dome shrinks in thickness (â€Å"Pantheon†). The Pantheon is an architectural wonder constructed 2000 years before. One can- WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benede tti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. -not remain untouched by the marvel of this dome that impresses one and all alike. It is equally magnificent now and at the time when it was built. It is not easy to find buildings spanning 2,000 years and standing still with reverence in the eyes of visitors for its architectural finesse; what more, it is still in use. The Pantheon attracts visitors from all the nook and corners of the world, wondering at this marvel of architecture while sitting on the stairs of the Pantheon for 2000 years (Benedetti 15). The Pantheon creates an impression of a building belonging to some other planet; such a feel comes from its craftsmanship. It gives the visitors an impression of strength, which comes from the innovative design of the Pantheon. The view of the building is just magical, particularly in black and white as in the picture above. For example, the use of concrete has been made innovatively, requiring thin layers of concrete to minimize weight and stresses in the top layers of the dome. The dome of Pantheon is till now the only single biggest non-reinforced concrete dome. Behind its huge brick walls lay a line of alleviating arches that add to its finish and body image. The humongous bronze doors are functional. It is because they are standing on pivots that provide increased strength relatively to a hinge. It seems each pivot must be as heavy as a small house (Benedetti 15). WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benedetti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. All the buildings around the Pantheon are newer. It is surrounded by tight lanes of the increasingly populated baroque city, offering tempting scenes. The front portico is spacious enough to accommodate the visitors to breathe with the Piazza della Rotonda. The main front leads the piazza with its magnificent gable and the 16 huge grey Egyptian granite colu mns; these columns add grace to the Pantheon although they are in plenty in the city. Whichever path one takes to reach the Pantheon, the size of the drum and humongous columns is sweeping (Benedetti 15). WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benedetti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. A close-up look of the huge columns kindles a feeling of relative

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Homelessness The Hidden Nightmare Of Los Angeles Economics Essay

Homelessness The Hidden Nightmare Of Los Angeles Economics Essay Los Angeles, California ranks in as the second largest city in the United States. It is home to 3.8 billion people, including many famous movie stars. Known for being one of the sunniest and most tourist-conscious cities, Los Angeles offers many attractions for visitors (problem of homelessness). They hold many sports venues as well, including the Staples Center, which houses the L.A. Lakers and many award shows, like the Grammys. Over the years Los Angeles developed nicknames for its city, such as L.A. and The City of Angels (Los Ang. Wikipedia). While some people might call it The City of Angels, others could not disagree more with the nickname. During the daytime Los Angeles is a place of business, upper-class citizens roam the streets and movie producers are filming there next big hit. On the other hand, at nighttime its nothing more than a nightmare you cannot wake up from; thousands of people are left roaming the streets searching for a place to sleep. What we do not typically hear about or see is Los Angeless Skid Row, which hides in the shadows of the downtown skyline. This fifty block section of downtown L.A. holds the largest concentrated area of homeless people in the entire United States (los Ang City of stars). The section of Fifth Street is also referred to as the nickel. It is said that Skid Row is Americas only third world city (Skid Row wikipedia). Skid Row is nothing more than a result of the neighborhoods gentrification. These horrifying streets are home to the unwanted. Many police officers from other jurisdictions have been seen dumping homeless people in the area; they cannot provide correct services to them, so they dump them there. Already overwhelmed with the abundance of homeless people, the county is facing a major problem with social service organizations being short staffed and are experiencing a shortage of funds. Any services that a homeless person might be offered, is located in the downtown area of Los Angeles (Los An. City of stars). The LAPD Chief thought he had found a solution to help local businesses and real estate developers weed out the site of homeless people. He would have anyone arrested for minor infractions, littering, sleeping on sidewalks, and public urination. Unfortunately, his strategies were only wishful thinking. Soon after his rules were put into affect the city jails were overpopulated with homeless people and could not hold anymore. It was also costing the city more to keep them in jail, than it did to help house them for the night (Los An. City of stars). Recent plans for Skid Row have been to build condos and lofts that sell for $700,000. This would completely gentrify the area and push homeless people further away. Without anywhere else in the county offering assistance for the homeless, they have nowhere and no one to turn to for help. Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority could not afford the new rent. They were forced to move because the building was being renovated into condominiums. The downtown area is being renovated to attract new businesses, but the downfall of it all is that its causing rental prices to become non-affordable. New homes and condos are priced at an average of $2,000 to $3,000 per month. Los Angeles has the most expensive rental market in the entire state of California. With housing costs on the rise and the supply of affordable housing falling, many people are struggling to keep a roof over their head. Due to the renovations and demolitions, the 28,000 affordable homes L.A. produced from 2001 to 2006 meant nothing, because they lost 11,000 homes in the process (research briefly). Los Angeles is demolishing perfectly good homes, during the middle of a housing crisis. Coalition for Economic Survival and Housing LA, have both been fighting to stop renovations and demolitions. Thankfully, the City Planning Department has recently started to deny some request for such demolition. They are also making it a requirement that some of the residences have to be affordable (livable places). To restore Los Angeless middle class society, it must provide and create enough affordable housing units. Affordable housing is the ratio of housing costs to household income. Families should not pay more than 30% of their income, but in L.A. most moderate to low income families, pay 50%. For someone to live in a one-bedroom apartment in L.A., they must make a minimum of $48,000 a year (livable places). An average family of four with two working parents must make $70,000 a year, just to skim by (Los An. City of stars). In 2007, only 3% of homes sold in Los Angeles were affordable for median income families (Pricey properties). As the need for housing grows larger the number of homeless people, also increase. Not only are these developers building new condos, but they are evicting residents as well. These families that are being evicted or flat out cannot afford the new pricing are left without a home. Due to the shortage of affordable housing units, the Hollywood Community Housing Corporation formed a lottery for people to have a chance to secure a spot in a new fifty-eight unit subsidized apartment. Lines formed seven hundred people deep, waiting for an application. Even though they might have received an application, that did not mean they were accepted. The housing corporations executive director, said that subsidized projects similar to this one were becoming more and more difficult to finance (Hundreds wait). For families who do not win the lottery, they are left on the streets and shooed away. Because of the increase and wide spread of non-affordable housing, homelessness is at an all time high. What used to be a designated area for the homeless in Los Angeles, Skid Row, is now a wide spread community epidemic. Homelessness is no longer designated to the poorer areas of Los Angeles; the entire county is now seeing, what was once an isolated phenomenon. All eight of the Service Planning Areas have been heavily affected. On an average night in Los Angeles, 73,000 homeless people roam the streets without a place to sleep. Around 40% of the homeless have been this way for less than a year. About half the residents living in L.A. are housing a family member or friend, to keep them off the streets. Los Angeles County supplies 17,000 emergency beds for the homeless. This low amount does not even come close to the demand for them. Shelter Partnership did a study that showed how L.A.s shelters and agencies only accommodate a quarter of homeless families (research and). The Los Angeles Unified School District has reported a 35% increase of homeless students. Recent data has revealed that the number of homeless families with children is rising. Between 2006 and 2007 HUD data reported that public schools were teaching an estimated 680,000 children that were either homeless or living in an unstable environment. Studies have shown that homelessness can lower a childs academic performance and reduce high school completion. Homeless children are nearly three times more likely to suffer from emotional or behavior problems, thus in the long run affecting their education. An estimated amount of 10,000 people were found living in inhabitable areas (the medical news). Not only has the lack of affordable housing caused homelessness, but the economy as well. The recession has impacted the job market greatly. It has been projected by Goldman Sachs that unemployment will continue to rise throughout 2010. This would cause nearly 10 million Americans to live in poverty. The United States is dealing with the highest amount of unemployment rates, it has ever seen. It is likely that the nation will face its highest increase in severe poverty, than it has in the last 30 years. The current recession is more likely to cause the risk of homelessness. Unlike previous recessions that provided safety nets to protect jobless families, the assistance for families now is weaker than ever (budget and policy). The non-profit organization, Chrysalis, provides employment opportunities to help family prevent the risk of becoming homeless. Chrysalis Enterprises is Los Angeles only non-profit organization. Each year, they help over 2,500 people avoid the risks of poverty and homelessness. They provide yearly assistance for transitional jobs to 600 men and women every year (Chrysalis). Even though Congress is expected to try and restore several million jobs, an unbelievably high number of people will still be at the risk of becoming homeless Local and state jurisdictions have arranged interagency plans to prevent homelessness. This has helped reduce the number of unsheltered people in the past, and if proper resources are used than it could lessen the increase of homelessness during the recession. Adequate funding must be provided in order for the interagency plans to function effectively. However, states and localities are dealing with budget shortfalls. The recession has caused them to cut programs and raise taxes to try and keep their budget balanced. Homelessness prevention will without a doubt struggle to maintain, let alone increase proper funding (budget and funding). Between 2007 and 2008 Los Angeles County has reported a 12% increase in welfare assistance for families who are homeless. More families will fall into deep poverty if the unemployment rate keeps rising. An estimated 900,000 to 1.1 million families with children will reach the level of severe poverty if this happens, leaving them with the risk of homelessness and housing instability. Despite falling incomes and rising unemployment, rents are still being driven through the roof. Home foreclosures constantly keep pushing home owners into the rental market. The severe problem with home foreclosures and housing sectors only help cater the increase of homeless families. The demand for rental units will continually grow even though the prices of homes are falling. Families, who would originally be buying homes right now, are renting; they are waiting for the economy and prices to stabilize before doing so. Homelessness will continue to rise during the recession, as long as the housing market maintains its ongoing troubles. One way Los Angeles can help try to prevent homelessness, is by offering housing vouchers. These vouchers can be used for families to pay past due utility bills or rent. Families dealing with foreclosure can be assisted with relocation funds, a one-time cost associated with moving into a new home. Unfortunately, the only way these short-term assistance programs will work, is if families are able to uphold their ongoing rental costs. A recent five year study has proven that housing vouchers are effective in preventing homelessness. The government needs to grant a substantial number of additional vouchers in the economic recovery package. In an economic crisis, such as now, voucher programs work the best. As a familys income changes the amount of subsidy they receive will also change. Costs will also decline as the participants gain employment and their earnings increase. In 2008, Congress provided 15,000 new housing vouchers. Only 2,840 of the new vouchers were given to families with children; the families also had to be connected to the foster system. The rest of the vouchers were set aside for disabled people and homeless veterans. If no special restrictions on eligibility for new vouchers are set by Congress, then state and local agencies that receive the funds will be responsible for disbursing them. It is likely that more than half of the vouchers will be given to poor families with children. If 200,000 new housing vouchers were given throughout 2010, including administrative fees, it would cost $2.1 billion. These additional vouchers could strain HUDs 2011 budget. Subsequent budget pressures could be avoided, if the recovery package stated that agencies could not reissue vouchers after a family has left the program and other vouchers have to be out of circulation by the end of 2010. By not allowing agencies to reissue vouchers, roughly 30% of the new vouchers will be retired by the ending calendar year of 2010. Because of the recession, it is unlikely that families will leave the program, but there is still a chance that some families might leave the program for non-economic reasons. The possibility of less people leaving the program than anticipated could result in a need for additional funding in 2011, to sustain new vouchers that were not offset. The proposed funding of $2.1 billion is only meant to cover a sixteen month period. If Congress provided a twenty month program, than agencies could accept a higher number of vouchers and further help prevent homelessness in their community. With the new proposal, families would be able to spend more money on food, clothing, and health care. The benefits of trying to eliminate and reduce homelessness would be immediate and long-term. New vouchers would help pump funds back into local economies within a four to six month period. When comparing Michigan to California with the estimated state shares of recommended increases in housing vouchers and ESG homelessness prevention funding, California will receive 26,962 more vouchers and $182,507,187 more new ESG funds than Michigan (Budget and Policy).

Friday, October 25, 2019

Creatine: Hazardous or Healthy Essay -- essays research papers

CREATINE: Hazardous or Healthy?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In sports today, everyone is looking for that extra advantage to enhance their performance, and to compete harder and stronger than their opponent. Creatine has become a major part of many athletes weight training and conditioning programs in the past few years. Many people have different opinions as to whether or not this substance should be used. After researching the topic of Creatine, I have concluded that there is nothing wrong with taking the supplement called Creatine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The supplement, known as Creatine or â€Å"Nature’s Steroid†, is the latest craze of the movement, and is selling over 100 million dollars in profit each year. â€Å"Creatine is a natural substance that was first discovered by a French Chemist named Chevreul† (Higher Power Creatine Web page). It is found in its highest form in lean red muscle tissue of animals and humans in the form of Creatine Phosphate. â€Å"Creatine must be combined with exercise to get an effect. When muscles are used to lift a weight, or perform any type of work, ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) is quickly broken down to ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) and energy is released. The amount of ATP stored in the muscle must rely on Creatine to restock its supply of ATP. This cycle is repeated throughout the training period. Therefore, the addition of supplementary creatine allows the duration of the body’s maximum effort to increase. Which basically means you can lift more weight for a longer pe riod of time†(Applegate 25). Muscles will only increase in size when stimulated by a greater workload. For example, before one was using a Creatine supplement, he or she was bench-pressing 170 pounds, for 3 sets with 8 repetitions each set. With use of Creatine one is able to bench press 180 pounds, for 3 sets with ten repetitions per set. Thus, enhancing performance, and gradually increasing overall strength and muscle mass.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The one major concern about Creatine is if it is harmful, and the type of side affects that may occur from its use. â€Å"Creatine is a natural, safe substance that already exists in the human body. Its function is to provide the body with energy reserves. Reports have also shown that it is not an addictive substance, like tobacco. Creatine is safe for both sexes. Common side eff... ...efore exercise†(Fitness Pros Bodybuilding Web page). This gives the Creatine time to get to the muscle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are two periods in which one takes Creatine. â€Å"The Loading period, in which he or she takes 2 to 4 full teaspoons per day spaced throughout the day, for a weeks time. The purpose of the Loading phase is to overdose the body with the supplement, which allows maximum absorption. After Loading is done one has to maintain or regulate the amount of Creatine in their system. The recommended Maintenance period includes taking 1 to 2 full teaspoons daily, for as long as one continues using the supplement†(Fitness Pros Bodybuilding Web page). Through my research, I found that these periods varied, but this program was the most consistent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To conclude, Creatine or â€Å"Nature’s Steroid†, is an over the counter dietary supplement that helps build lean muscle mass, and shortens recovery time between workouts. Its side effects are nowhere near life threatening, and the supplement is natural and already in our muscles. Creatine is a legal, healthy way to enhance muscular strength and endurance in the striving athletes of the world.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

How far were southerners to blame for the civil war? Essay

During and for years after the war, Northerners blamed Southerners and Southerners blamed Northerners for starting the war. With hindsight today, it is easy to dish out blame and easiest to point the finger at the South. After all it was the Southern states that seceded from the union, and it was obvious to many Southerners at the time, and to most Northerners that the result of such secession would be war. It was the Confederates that fired the first shots of the war at Fort Sumter in April 1861, and in doing so they provoked a conflict that would leave one in four white adult male southerners dead, the South’s economy devastated and slavery, the â€Å"peculiar institution† they fought to defend, abolished. However because slavery is seen today to be such a morally and ethically wrong and evil thing, people’s views can be blurred, leading them to side automatically with the North. There were of course many events that furthered America’s sectionalism and eventually led to the civil war, most of which blame can be divided equally. It is therefore necessary to be objective and take each into account, concluding perhaps that the South was not entirely to blame for the civil war, just as Germany was not entirely to blame for the first world war. The Missouri dispute was the first of events that caused division between North and South. In 1819 the territory of Missouri applied to become a state in the union, it was settled mainly by Southerners and ten percent of its population were black slaves. Its constitution therefore would make Missouri a slave state. This would cause imbalance in the Senate whereby the South would have a majority, so congressman Tallmadge from New York proposed that Missouri should only be allowed to join the union if it would abolish slavery. This issue was debated across the country; the South saw Tallmadge’s proposal as an attack on their political power. In the House of Representatives the North already had a large majority and if any new states were to be free, any of the South’s wishes could be ignored in both houses. In 1820 a compromise was made whereby Missouri was made a slave state, and Maine was made a free state, thus keeping the balance in the Senate. Also there were to be no slaves above the line of 36 30†² latitude. This dispute to an extent can be blamed on the North, as it was Tallmadge’s statement that sparked off tension and Southern determination to defend slavery. The North could have been satisfied with their majority in the House of Representatives and just allowed Missouri to be a slave state, knowing that soon other states would arise possibly wanting to be free. The 1828 Nullification Crisis was a cause of further sectionalism that was not directly about slavery; it was instead focused on state rights versus federal rights. Congress proposed to raise import duties making foreign goods more expensive. This would protect industry in the North as consumers would buy American made goods, but it would hurt the South as they relied heavily on cotton trade with Great Britain. The South saw this as another attack from the North, so Senator Calhoun from South Carolina declared that if a state felt the Federal Government was abusing it’s power, that state could nullify or ignore any measure or act it disagreed with. He also said that any state had the right to secede. In 1832 South Carolina ignored the new import duties and President Jackson threatened to send in troops. Eventually they backed down and excepted a lower set of duties. This escapade and Calhoun’s statement about secession threatened the very existence of the union. Blame for this can fall on both the North for selfishly looking after their interests without regard for the South, and on the South for supporting Calhoun’s idea of secession which threatened to tear apart the country at such an early stage. Next came the dispute over California and New Mexico. In 1846 USA won a war against Mexico and gained the lands of California and New Mexico. Congressman Wilmot from Pennsylvania proposed that slavery should be banned in all land taken from Mexico. The South opposed Wilmot’s proviso, as according to the Missouri compromise, California should be part free and part slave. However the climate of California and New Mexico was unsuitable for cotton growth and it was unlikely that slavery would expand that far west anyway, so there was no need for Wilmot to say what he did. By opening his mouth, Wilmot opened an old wound, making the South firmer in their defense of slavery. Calhoun reiterated his views on secession in his doctrine and tension grew with the Californian gold rush. Thousands rushed to California and its settlers formed a constitution that banned slavery. Before it could be a state Congress had to approve the constitution. The Southern states opposed it and the break up of the union was on the horizon once again. As usual a compromise was reached. In 1850 California became a free state but a new harsh Fugitive Slave law was introduced, meaning if a slave escaped to a free state, men could hunt the slave down across the borders and bring him back. The bitterness and tension here can be blamed on both the North and South. The North because Wilmot and his supporters were willing to blatantly go against the 1820 compromise, and the South as they would not simply accept the wishes of the Californian people. The dispute over Kansas and Nebraska is perhaps the best example where both Northerners and Southerners were to blame for what happened. In 1854 Senator Douglas from Illinois proposed a bill to form two new territories, Kansas and Nebraska, in order to buy land to build a transcontinental railroad. Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska act but it was left for the inhabitants of the territories to decide for or against slavery. Nebraska was unsuitable for slavery but Kansas wasn’t. So, despite the fact that Kansas was above 36 30†² latitude, slave owners from Missouri moved in, in an attempt to make Kansas a slave state. Similarly so did abolitionists from the North. Both groups set up governments and sought approval from Congress. Violence followed in a war lasting several years which was nicknamed â€Å"Bleeding Kansas† Eventually abolitionist settlers outnumbered the slavers and in 1861 Kansas became a free state. In this case both sections were as bad as each othe r with their childish quarrels and fights. So who really was to blame for the Civil war? From the above-mentioned factors, which are only a few of many, you could conclude that both Northerners and Southerners were equally responsible. However the most important factor as mentioned in the beginning is the fact that the Southern States seceded. They did not have to, but they did. In 1861 there was no immediate threat to slavery, Lincoln said when he was elected that he would not interfere with slavery in states where it was already established. He thought it would take a hundred years or more before slavery would fade away, and considering the Republicans did not have a majority in Congress in 1860, there was little Lincoln could do to threaten slavery. Despite this, Southern politicians, representing the wishes of their constituents, acted irrationally and established an independent Southern nation, believing they were protecting themselves from the wrath of the North. Most Southerners knew that in doing so they would start a war and some realized at the time the full extent of their mistake. They knew they would start a war and they realized they would lose. The North was far more industrialized and stronger in numbers of men and it was very likely that they would win. Jonathan Worth from North Carolina said in spring 1861 â€Å"I think the South is committing suicide, but my lot is cast with the South and being unable to manage the ship, I intend to face the breakers manfully and go down with my companions† If all Southerners had realized their foolishness a lot of bloodshed could have been avoided. However a mass delusion seemed to effect the South, they believed they had to fight to survive. Southerners picked the fight; they fired first and were made to lie in the grave they dug for themselves.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Relationship banking

Youth, adolescence, and maturity of banks Credit availability to small business in an era of banking consolidation. pdf more complete conceptual framework for SME finance. pdf Bank Size and Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Lending Evidence from China. pdf Bank size, lending technologies, and small business finance. pdf Bank-firm relationships, financing and firm performance in Germany. pdf Collateral, type of lender and relationship banking as determinants of credit risk. pdf Competition and relationship lending Friends or foes. pdf Credit protection and lending relationships. pdfFirm failure and relationship lending in an emerging economy new evidence from small businesses. pdf How do lending relationships affect access to credit and loan conditions in microlending. pdf Information verifiability, bank organization, bank competition and bank-borrower relationships. pdf Lending relationships in line-of- credit and nonline-of-credit loans Evidence from collateral use in small b usiness. pdf Loan officers and relationship lending to SMEs. pdf Multiple banking relationships and the fragility of corporate borrowers. pdf On the importance ot retail banking relationships. t On the prortability and cost of relationship lending. pdf Organizational distance and use of collateral for business loans.SME, borrowing constraints and banking relationship in Japan. pdf The number of banking relationships and the business cycle New evidence from Colombia. pdf The relationship banking paradox No pain no gain versus raison d†tre. pdf The relationship between banking market competition and risk-taking Do size and capitalization matter. pdf Trends in relationship lending and factors affecting relationship lending effeciency. pdf What's in a relationship The case of commercial lending. pdf Collateral, type of lender and relationship banking. pdf Collateral-based lending in emerging. pdf Do lending relationships matter. f Does gender matter in bank-firm relationships Evid ence from small. pdf Does market size structure affect competition. pdf Empirical determinants of relationship lending. pdf Evidence of Jointness in the terms of relationship. pdf How do lending relationships affect access to credit and loan conditions. pdf How important are small banks to small to small business lending. pdf How SMEs exploit their intellectual property assets. pdf Information verifiability, bank organization, bank competition and bank,

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

All Hail the Divine Ruler, Queen of Kish

All Hail the Divine Ruler, Queen of Kish Want to know which monarch of ancient Sumer reigned supreme at any given time? You’d have to check out the aptly named Sumerian King List. But the Sumerians had a super-special idea of â€Å"kingship†: it was a force that liked to travel. For generations at a time, nam-lugal, or â€Å"kingship,† was bestowed upon a particular city, represented by a monarch who ruled for a long time. Only one city was believed to hold true kingship at any given time. After a few hundred years, kingship went from one city to another, which then held the honor of nam-lugal for a few generations. Apparently, the gods, who bestowed rulership as a privilege, not a right, upon humans, got fed up of one place after a period of time, so they regifted it elsewhere. In reality, the list may have reflected a particular city’s rise to power or military defeat in Sumer: if City A came to prominence, then its hegemony could be justified by claiming divine right. This mythological idea wasnt realistic - many cities had individual kings reigning at the same time – but since when did myth have reflect reality? Its Ladies Night Tons of monarchs make an appearance on the Sumerian King List, but there’s only one lady named: Kubaba, or Kug-Bau.  Not to be confused with the monster Huwawa or Hubaba in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Kubaba was a woman alone – the only queen regnant who’s recorded as bearing divine rulership. The Sumerian King List records that the city of Kish held nam-lugal multiple times. In fact, it was the first city to hold kingship after a great mythical flood – sound familiar? After sovereignty bounced around to a lot of different places, it landed in Kish a few more times – although that’s since been cast in doubt. On one of those occasions, a woman named Kug-Bau ruled the city. Drink Up!   Kubaba is first identified in the King List as the â€Å"the woman tavern-keeper.† How could she have gone from owning a bar/inn to ruling a city? We can’t be sure, but female tavern-keepers actually held important positions in Sumerian mythology and daily life. Perhaps that’s because of the mega-importance of beer in Sumerian culture. While some scholars theorized that taverns equaled brothels in Sumer, apparently â€Å"tavern keeping was a common and respectable female occupation until later periods in Mesopotamia,† according to Julia Assante. Regardless of what kind of show they were running, women often ran taverns, holding perhaps one of the only independent female positions of power in ancient Sumer. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, an important character is Siduri the tavern-keeper, who runs an inn in the Underworld. She must be an immortal of some sort to live where she does, and gives Gilgamesh sage advice like â€Å"Who of the mortal can live forever? The life of man is short†¦.let there be pleasure and dancing.† So, in what was probably a very important epic even in antiquity, a female tavern-keeper was seen as a guide  along perilous paths  and a figure worthy of veneration. Real-life politics may or may not have allowed a tavern-keeper co to rule over her city. But what was the purpose in identifying her profession? By associating her with the mythical Siduri and a prominent feminine profession – whether she ran a brothel or not - the recorder of the King List literally immortalized Kubaba and made her the one of world’s most independent women before Beyoncà ©. According to Carol R. Fontaine in her essay â€Å"Visual Metaphors and Proverbs 15:15-20,† there was a sacredness attached to female tavern-keepers. She wrote that, â€Å"given the association of Inanna-Ishtar with the tavern and the sweet (sexual?) wine to be drunk there, as well as female ownership of taverns and involvement with the process of brewery, we should not assume Ku-Baba to be some sort of prostitute but a successful business woman with divine associations herself.† So what else did Kubaba do? The King List says she â€Å"made firm the foundations of Kish,† indicating she fortified it against invaders. Lots of monarchs did this; Gilgamesh even built a lot of walls to protect his city of Uruk . So it sounds like Kubaba carried on a grand royal tradition of building up her city. According to the King List, Kubaba ruled for one hundred years. That’s obviously exaggerated, but a lot of other monarchs on the list have similarly long reigns. But it didn’t last forever. Eventually, â€Å"Kish was defeated† – or destroyed, depending on the version you’re reading – and the gods decided to remove kingship from this city. It went to the city of Akshak instead. A Womans Work Never Ends But Kubaba’s legacy didn’t end there. It seems that later generations weren’t crazy about women occupying traditional men’s roles. A later omen reading indicated that, if an individual is born intersex, it’s the â€Å"omen of Ku-Bau who ruled the land; the land of the king will become waste.†Ã‚  By taking on the duties of a man – a king – Kubaba was seen to have crossed a boundary and transcended gender divisions in an improper fashion. Combining male and female genitalia in an individual would echo her reign as lugal, or king, which the ancients saw as violating the natural order of things. The omen texts indicate that both an individual with the sexual organs of two genders and a queen regnant were seen as unnatural. â€Å"These were linked in the elite mind as a challenge and threat to the political hegemony of the king,† said Fontaine. Similarly, in another omen reading, if a patient’s lung didn’t look so good, it was the sign of Kubaba, â€Å"who seized the kingship.†Ã‚  So, basically, Kubaba’s legacy served as a means of identifying bad stuff that went against the way things should be. Its also worth noting that Kubaba is portrayed as an improper usurper here. Kubaba’s legacy might not have been limited to her reputation. In fact, she mightve founded a real dynasty! After her reign, kingship transferred to Akshak; a few generations later, a king named Puzur-Nirah ruled there. Apparently, Kubaba was still alive at this time, according to the Weidner Chronicle, and Kubaba, a.k.a. â€Å"the alewife,† fed some local fishermen who lived near her house. Because she was so nice, the god Marduk liked her and gave â€Å"royal dominion of all lands entirely over to Ku-Baba.† On the King List, royal power is said to have gone back to Kish after Akshak†¦and guess who ruled? â€Å"Puzur-Suen, the son of Kug-Bau, became king; he ruled for 25 years.† So it looks like the story about Marduk giving kingship back to Kubaba’s family demonstrates her real-life family taking power eventually. Puzur-Suen’s son, Ur-Zubaba, ruled after him. According to the list, â€Å"131 are the years of the dynasty of Kug-Bau,† but that doesn’t add up when you tally the years of each reign. Oh, well! Eventually, the name â€Å"Kubaba† became best-known as that of a Neo-Hittite goddess, hailing from the city of Carchemish. This Kubaba probably didn’t have any relation to our Kug-Bau from Sumer, but an incarnation of the deity so prominent in Asia Minor might’ve become the goddess the Romans knew as  Cybele (nà ©e Cybebe). If so, then the name Kubaba had come a long way from Kish!

Monday, October 21, 2019

JFK’s Brain and Missing Body Parts of Historical Figures

JFK’s Brain and Missing Body Parts of Historical Figures Remember when you were a kid and one of your goofy uncles was always trying to scare you by â€Å"stealing your nose† between his thumb and forefinger? While you quickly figured out your nose was safe, the phrase â€Å"until death do us part† takes on a whole new meaning for some very famous deceased people whose body parts have been oddly â€Å"relocated.† John F. Kennedy’s Vanishing Brain Since that horrible day in November 1963, controversies and conspiracy theories have swirled around the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Perhaps the most bizarre of these controversies involves things that happened during and after President Kennedy’s official autopsy. In 1978, the published findings of the congressional House Select Committee on Assassinations revealed that JFK’s brain had gone missing. While some doctors at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas testified that they had seen First Lady Jackie Kennedy holding a part of her husband’s brain, what happened to it remains unknown. However, it is documented that JFK’s brain was removed during the autopsy and placed in a stainless-steel box that was subsequently handed over to the Secret Service. The box remained locked in the White House until 1965, when JFK’s brother, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, ordered the box to be stored in the National Archives building. However, a National Archives inventory of medical evidence from the JFK autopsy conducted in 1966 showed no record of the box or the brain. Conspiracy theories regarding who stole JFK’s brain and why soon flew. Released in 1964, the Warren Commission report stated that Kennedy had been struck by two bullets fired from the rear by Lee Harvey Oswald. One bullet reportedly went through his neck, while the other struck the back of his skull, leaving bits of brain, bone, and skin scattered about the presidential limousine. Some conspiracy theorists suggested that the brain was stolen in order to hide proof that Kennedy had been shot from the front, rather than from behind - and by someone other than Oswald. More recently, in his 2014 book, End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy, author James Swanson suggests that the president’s brain had been taken by his younger brother, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, â€Å"perhaps to conceal evidence of the true extent of President Kennedys illnesses, or perhaps to conceal evidence of the number of medications that President Kennedy was taking.† Still, others suggest the much less glamorous possibility that the remains of the president’s brain simply got lost somewhere in the fog of confusion and bureaucracy that followed the assassination. Since the last batch of declassified official JFK assassination records released on Nov. 9, 2017, shed no light on the mystery, the whereabouts of JFK’s brain remains unknown today. The Secrets of Einsteins Brain The brains of powerful, intelligent, and talented people like JFK have long been favorite targets of â€Å"collectors† who believe a study of the organs might reveal the secrets of their former owners’ success. Sensing that his brain was somehow â€Å"different,† super-genius physicist Albert Einstein had occasionally expressed his wishes to have his body donated to science. However, the creator of the groundbreaking theory of relativity never bothered to write down his wishes. After he died in 1955, Einstein’s family directed that he - meaning all of him - be cremated. However, Dr. Thomas Harvey, the pathologist who performed the autopsy, decided to remove Albert’s brain before releasing his body to the undertakers. Much to the displeasure of the genius’ loved ones, Dr. Harvey stored Einstein’s brain in his home for nearly 30 years, rather unceremoniously, preserved in two plain Mason jars. The rest of Einstein’s body was cremated, with his ashes scattered in secret locations. After Dr. Harvey’s death in 2010, the remains of Einstein’s brain were transferred to the National Museum of Health and Medicine near Washington, D.C. Since then, 46 thin slices of the brain have been mounted on microscope slides displayed at the Mà ¼tter Museum in Philadelphia. Napoleon’s Man Part After conquering most of Europe, diminutive French military genius and emperor Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on May 5, 1821. During an autopsy done the next day, Napoleon’s heart, stomach, and other â€Å"vital organs† were removed from his body. While several people witnessed the procedure, one of them reportedly decided to leave with some souvenirs. In 1916, heirs of Napoleons chaplain, Abbà © Ange Vignali, sold a collection of Napoleonic artifacts, including what they claimed to be the emperor’s penis. Whether actually part of Napoleon or not - or even a penis at all - the manly artifact changed hands several times over the years. Finally, in 1977, the item believed to be Napoleon’s penis was sold at auction to leading American urologist John J. Lattimer. While modern forensic tests conducted on the artifact confirm that it is a human penis, whether it was ever really attached to Napoleon remains unknown. John Wilkes Booths Neck Bones or Not? While he might have been an accomplished assassin, John Wilkes Booth was a lousy escape artist. Not only did he break his leg just after murdering President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, just 12 days later, he was shot in the neck and killed in a barn in Port Royal, Virginia. During the autopsy, Booth’s third, fourth, and fifth vertebrae were removed in an attempt to find the bullet. Today, the remains of Booth’s spine are preserved and often displayed at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington, D.C. According to government assassination reports, Booth’s body was eventually released to the family and buried in an unmarked grave in a family plot at Baltimore’s Green Mount Cemetery in 1869. Since then, however, conspiracy theorists have suggested that it was not Booth who was killed in that Port Royal barn or buried in that Green Mount grave. One popular theory contends Booth escaped justice for 38 years, living until 1903, supposedly committing suicide in Oklahoma. In 1995, Booth’s descendants filed a court request to have the body buried at Green Mount Cemetery exhumed in hopes that it could be identified as their infamous relative or not. Despite having the support of the Smithsonian Institution, the judge denied the request citing previous water damage to the burial plot, evidence that other family members had been buried there, and publicity from the â€Å"less than convincing escape/cover-up theory.† Today, however, the mystery might be solved by comparing DNA from Booth’s brother Edwin to the autopsy bones in the National Museum of Health and Medicine. However, in 2013, the museum denied a request for a DNA test. In a letter to Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who had helped craft the request, the museum stated, â€Å"the need to preserve these bones for future generations compels us to decline the destructive test.† The Salvaging of Stonewall Jacksons Left Arm As Union bullets zipped around him, Confederate General Thomas â€Å"Stonewall† Jackson would famously sit â€Å"like a stone wall† astride his horse during the Civil War. However, Jackson’s luck or bravery let him down during the 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville, when a bullet accidentally fired by one of his own Confederate riflemen ripped through his left arm. In what was the common practice of early battlefield trauma treatment, surgeons amputated Jackson’s tattered arm. As the arm was about to be unceremoniously thrown onto a pile of similarly amputated limbs, military chaplain Rev. B. Tucker Lacy decided to save it. As Chancellorsville Park ranger Chuck Young tells visitors, â€Å"Remembering that Jackson was the rock star of 1863, everybody knew who Stonewall was, and to have his arm just simply thrown on the scrap pile with the other arms, Rev. Lacy couldnt let that happen.† Just eight days after his arm was amputated, Jackson died of pneumonia. Today, while most of Jackson’s body is buried at the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery in Lexington, Virginia, his left arm is entered in a private cemetery at Ellwood Manor, not far from the field hospital where it was amputated. The Travels of Oliver Cromwells Head Oliver Cromwell, the sternly Puritan Lord Protector of England, whose parliamentary or â€Å"Godly† party tried to ban Christmas in the 1640s, was far from a wild and crazy guy. But after he died in 1658, his head really got around. Starting as a Member of Parliament during  the reign of King Charles I (1600-1649), Cromwell fought against the king during the English Civil War, taking over as Lord Protector after Charles was beheaded for high treason. Cromwell died at age 59 in 1658 from an infection in his urinary tract or kidneys. Following an autopsy, his body was then buried - temporarily - in Westminster Abbey. In 1660, King Charles II - who had been exiled by Cromwell and his cronies - ordered Cromwell’s head placed on a spike in Westminster Hall as a warning to potential usurpers. The rest of Cromwell was hanged and re-buried in an unmarked grave. After 20 years on the spike, Cromwell’s head circulated around small London area museums until 1814, when it was sold to a private collector named Henry Wilkinson. According to reports and rumors, Wilkerson often took the head to parties, using it as a historic - though rather grizzly - conversation-starter. The Puritan leader’s party days finally ended for good in 1960, when his head was permanently buried in the chapel at Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

How to Use Chou in French Conversation

How to Use Chou in French Conversation If youre talking about cabbage in French, then youre going to need to know how to use the word  chou.  Pronounced shoo, the word  chou  can be used to describe a cabbage or as a term of endearment akin to darling or dear. Using  Chou  in Conversation As a vegetable, chou can be served grated raw in a salad, boiled then creamed with bacon bits, stuffed with milk-soaked bread, sausage, eggs, vegetables, and herbs or baked in a cabbage galette with herbs and lardons (hearty French smoked bacon). But, really, the options are only limited by the culinary imagination of Frances  talented regional and restaurant cooks. The use as a term of endearment  may derive from the pretty, frilly, green, slightly delicate Savoy cabbage that the French have a certain affection for. On va manger du chou. Were going to eat some cabbage.Salade de chou rouge  est un excellent example de la cuisine minceur de  Michel Guà ©rard. Red cabbage salad is an excellent example of [chef] Michel Guà ©rards slimming cuisine.Ça va mon [petit] chou? How are you, my darling (my sweet)? Related Words There are a number of related words with chou as their root, for example: un chouchou darling, pet  chouchouter (informal) to pamper, coddle  la choucroute sauerkraut (brine-marinated cabbage)les choux de Bruxelles Brussels sprouts These root  words also wind up in some common French expressions, such as: à ªtre dans les choux (informel) to be screwed up, lost, in trouble  faire chou blanc to draw a blank, to lead nowhereCest chou vert et vert chou.   Its green cabbage and cabbage green. [meaning, roughly: Its the same either way.] Additional Resources As you expand your  vocabulary, youll want to learn more ways to talk about food with your loved ones. French terms of endearmentFood in French

Saturday, October 19, 2019

The strengths and weakness of the legal system in Somerville District Essay

The strengths and weakness of the legal system in Somerville District Court MA - Essay Example The district court is very active and deals with various cases on a normal working day. The courthouse is located somewhere between the Ten Hills neighborhood and Assembly Square. The District Court has looks a bit old with a few paint chippings on the side, a steeple and surrounding it is a few evergreen bushes. The court creates an avenue where cases are first directed in Somerville and Medford. Observations and opinion of Somerville District Court A visit at the Somerville District Court revealed some relevant facts about the courthouse and its daily routine and services. There were various facts that portrayed the court on the positive side and others that were a disadvantage or weakness to the operations and service of the district court. In an effort in relaying favorable and just services to the civilians of Somerville and Medford, the courthouse has put in place various departments and equipment that will assist in offering dependable services. Some of these necessary adjustm ents were identified as follows. First, one would notice that the courthouse is equipped with assisted listening devices that are available for use by civilians that have a special interest in specific cases. A court officer who is assigned to these devices and a telephone number is available for anyone to contact them through their lawyer to request for the equipment in case they need to utilize the devices during a court hearing. The courthouse has a direct an assigned civil case liaison manager whose office number is available for the public and can be contacted any time within the court working hours. The court also has an assigned criminal case liaising officer whose office can be reached anytime during the working hours of the week. One other important part of the courthouse, in terms of the physical setting is the accessibility-handicapped persons to the courthouse. All flours are handicap accessible and any person who seeks to have more information about handicap access can contact the assigned probation officer. One other important practice at the court is the schedule. The Somerville District court has an outlined schedule that outlines daily activities and type of hearings. It also outlines each event that the courthouse attends to on a weekly basis and when an interested party is allowed to come. For example on Wednesday the court attends to civil remand trials and motions, on Thursdays from nine in the morning the court is set to hear small claims, and on Thursday and Friday starting at nine in the morning the court attends to juvenile sessions. On a personal opinion, the courthouse was well equipped and laid out for a district court. The availability of office telephone numbers and assigned officers also allows smooth running of the courthouse. Accessibility is a key feature in a courthouse since it serves various people who have complications or needs that need assistance, hence the need for a handicap accessible courtroom. This also includes th e need to have the equipment required for assisted hearing. This a great improvement and advantageous to the court as they play a major role where the parties involved have specific hearing and communication difficulties. The courthouse also has its set of disadvantages that may cause poor service delivery at the courthouse. These setbacks include the following. To start with, Somerville District Courthouse does not have a childcare department. As a district court

Friday, October 18, 2019

Critically assess the relative competitiveness and socio-economic Essay - 1

Critically assess the relative competitiveness and socio-economic outcomes of manufacturing in China - Essay Example This manuscript mulls over these aspects while considering the socio-economic outcomes of manufacturing in China. Among the key factors that contribute significantly to China’s relative competitiveness are its favorable investment opportunities. China’s favorable macroeconomics has significant positive impacts on its competitiveness (Dunning & Gugler 2008, 170). For instance, foreign manufacturers have the capability to negotiate with the Chinese government over tax benefits. As such, organizations may have more tax benefits, owing to their adherence to specific government norms. Various manufacturing firms have received priority in this aspect, thereby creating a suitable environment for manufacturers. Besides, the promotion of reinvestments in China significantly boosts its competitiveness. Firms within China may recover their taxes up to over 40 percent, owing to their reinvestment for next five years. The reinvestment of numerous foreign firms within China has significantly promoted its expansion, thereby critically boosting its competitiveness. Increased inexpensive and skilled labor also boosts China’s competitiveness. Survey shows that China has cheap literate labor as compared to other competing Asian nations such as India, thus making it a choice destination for foreign investors in manufacturing (Liang et al. 2014 1106). Besides, technological advancements have significantly boosted China’s relative competitiveness. In the recent past, China has significantly improved its infrastructure, thereby providing a suitable manufacturing environment for foreign investors. The nation boasts of sophisticated road and water transport networks, with highly efficient communication networks. Many significantly reduce foreign investment, owing to diverse stringent regulations that tend to favor local firms. However, this concept does not apply in China, where it provides flexible

A long Way Traveled Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A long Way Traveled - Research Paper Example As the saying goes ‘you won’t know where you are going until you know where you are coming from’. However, when we understand history- in this case; Native American History it would mean that we understand and accept each other. Native Americans in general are known to be earthy people who are one with mother earth and they believe that every living thing on earth should be respected. Their history depicts, a vibrant culture and history and is also responsible for the early development of the Americas. The Navajo Nation Reviewed literature declares the Navajo tribe one of the largest reservation in America with an area covering an estimated 27 000 square miles. The area covers portions of Arizona and New Mexico, and a small part of southeastern Utah. Presently the capital of the Navajo nation is found at Window Rock in Arizona. The Navajos populous is said to be over 200 000 people, landing them the title of the largest Native American tribe in the United States. Furthermore, they are noted to be bilingual as they speak both their challenging and native Navajo language and also English. This noble Indian tribe lived in the South Western part of the United States. This definitive set of people refers to themselves as ‘Dineh’ which means â€Å"the people†. ... gnition as warriors from the Spanish and other surrounding Indian tribes because the Navajos raided the Spanish settlers often to get their horses for hunting and fighting. The Navajos grew corn, beans and squash in fields that the Spanish term as ‘Nabaju’, which when translated means â€Å"great planted fields†. According to the said source; by the year 1750, the Navajos were living in valleys and mountains around the canyon de chelly in north eastern Arizona.1 They adopted a new life style being sheep herders and gave up hunting. Today Navajo tribes can be found in scattered locations in Arizona and New Mexico in houses called Hogans which are very easy to assemble. Before, their Hogans were made with supporting poles that were covered with mush and brush. Then they transformed to more stable Hogans made from logs chinked in mud in a circular shape.2 Culture of the Navajo Nation The culture of the Navajo people is quite exciting. They hold fascinating beliefs an d engage in colorful ceremonies. They believe that the spiritual and the physical world blend together as one. The ‘Yei’ (holy ones) as they are known live in the four sacred mountains in each of the four directions that marks the boundaries of the Navajo land. The navajopeople.org website argues that the Navajos are highly ceremonial second to some of the Pueblo groups. Almost every act of their life; example, building a Hogan, planting crops and so on is ceremonial in nature, each being carried out with songs and prayers. The said source also declared that â€Å"the Navajo dead are buried by others than immediate relatives in unmarked graves. No ceremonies are held, for the dead are considered evil and are feared. The hogan in which death occurs is forever abandoned, often burned. Sometimes a hogan is

Analysis .... depend on the movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis .... depend on the movie - Essay Example The general public has been separated into intellectuals and proprietors, who live in comfort, and manual workers, who reside in its suburbs and whose single function is controlling the equipment that move the city (Minden & Bachmann, 2002). The movie revolves around two individuals; first, Freder, who was the son of the metropolitan’s chief planner, and second Maria, who is a young female from the working class and thinks that sooner or later a arbitrator will arrive to reconcile differences in the class. After understanding that Freder supports the employees, she believes that he may be the rescuer that she has visualized. â€Å"The most important feature of this movie is that the special effects utilized in this sci-fi classic were pioneering â€Å"at the time of the release and still have the power to amaze audiences† (Elsaesser, 2008). Metropolis features exceptional camera work and set designs that still amaze contemporary viewers with their visual impact - the m ovie has â€Å"cinematic and thematic bonds to German Expressionism† (Prestel Art Press, 1999), despite the fact that the structural design, as represented in the movie, emerges founded on present-day modernization as well as ‘Art Deco’.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Hold on to Your Dreams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hold on to Your Dreams - Essay Example    The first step of my long journey was to get my father’s consent. My family tried to persuade me to change my mind. But I was a rock which let the waves of their arguments just wash over me. My reply to every objection was, â€Å"If you love me, let me go.† Finally, my father agreed to give me the freedom to pursue my dream. But I now faced a bigger hurdle: My father could not afford the financial costs of my studies. My application for a scholarship was turned down because I did not have the necessary background in Science. My disappointment ate into my heart like acid. I thought, ‘Maybe I should accept what cannot be changed.’ Then, my love for the field of medicine made me work as a call center representative and as a translator at hospitals, just so I could be a part of the world of doctors and nurses. Although my dream of wearing scrubs seemed to be far beyond my reach, I absorbed medical information. I became a part of the hospital community, which wa s a family to me. I accepted that my dream would always remain a dream, locked in its box. I was content to live in the hospital world. Then one calm, sunny day, a storm rushed through my life, cleared away all the doubts in my mind, and opened my eyes again. My best friend, Name, showed a flushed face, heavy sweating, and sudden tremors. But she said, â€Å"Don’t worry, Daliya. I’m fine.† As we worked in the office, my calm and patient friend screamed, and knocked everything on her table to the ground. Obviously, she was ill. Obviously, she was ill. The name was diagnosed with depression and started on medication. The next morning, Name was in the hospital with severe palpitations and high blood pressure. She was hooked to a saline drip. But there was no change in her situation. Suddenly, Name started to fight for breath and bloated like a balloon.  

RESEARCH PROPOSAL Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

RESEARCH PROPOSAL - Article Example Therefore, the need of today is to explore the importance of restructuring the administrative procedures in terms of improved policies and legislation in improving the performance of public school teachers and students. For this research study, the aim is to explore the role of improved administrative policies and legislation in improving the performance and motivation levels of public school teachers and students. The administrative procedures to be studied in the research include pay for performance, student services, and interactive learning environment. The researcher will also study the current policies and legislation which govern the working of public schools. The researcher will study the factors in detail in order to come up with justified and evidence-supported conclusions, as well as to provide feasible recommendations to the administrative authorities of public schools. Administrative procedures play a considerable role in improving the performance of public sector schools. Some administrative procedures, such as, implementation of pay for performance program, student services, and improvement in the learning environment are critical for bringing improvement in the performance of both teachers and students of public schools. Pay for performance programs are directly linked with the performance of teachers. Teachers like to be a permanent part of such schools, which value their efforts by implementing appropriate compensation and benefits packages for their employees (Lavy, 2007). Student services, such as, sports training, practical work training, and provision of extracurricular facilities also play a significant role in improving students’ performances (Griffith, 1996). Generally, such services are not paid the due amount of attention because of which most of the parents prefer to choose private schools for the schooling of their children. If such services are made

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Hold on to Your Dreams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hold on to Your Dreams - Essay Example    The first step of my long journey was to get my father’s consent. My family tried to persuade me to change my mind. But I was a rock which let the waves of their arguments just wash over me. My reply to every objection was, â€Å"If you love me, let me go.† Finally, my father agreed to give me the freedom to pursue my dream. But I now faced a bigger hurdle: My father could not afford the financial costs of my studies. My application for a scholarship was turned down because I did not have the necessary background in Science. My disappointment ate into my heart like acid. I thought, ‘Maybe I should accept what cannot be changed.’ Then, my love for the field of medicine made me work as a call center representative and as a translator at hospitals, just so I could be a part of the world of doctors and nurses. Although my dream of wearing scrubs seemed to be far beyond my reach, I absorbed medical information. I became a part of the hospital community, which wa s a family to me. I accepted that my dream would always remain a dream, locked in its box. I was content to live in the hospital world. Then one calm, sunny day, a storm rushed through my life, cleared away all the doubts in my mind, and opened my eyes again. My best friend, Name, showed a flushed face, heavy sweating, and sudden tremors. But she said, â€Å"Don’t worry, Daliya. I’m fine.† As we worked in the office, my calm and patient friend screamed, and knocked everything on her table to the ground. Obviously, she was ill. Obviously, she was ill. The name was diagnosed with depression and started on medication. The next morning, Name was in the hospital with severe palpitations and high blood pressure. She was hooked to a saline drip. But there was no change in her situation. Suddenly, Name started to fight for breath and bloated like a balloon.  

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Did the case of Horsham kill the case of Boland Essay

Did the case of Horsham kill the case of Boland - Essay Example The essay "Did the case of Horsham kill the case of Boland?" analyzes two cases about proprietary deviation and the connection between them. The case of Boland is concerned with the violation of wife’s unregistered right of possession of her matrimonial home in which her spouse had an equal share but had his name alone shown as the registered proprietor of the property in the land register. The husband had mortgaged the property to Williams & Glyns’s Bank without his wife’s knowledge even though they were living together in the same house. The mortgagee bank also did not care to verify with his wife if she had any interest before lending her husband against the mortgage of the said property. The question was whether the wife had an overriding interest by virtue of section 70 (1) (g) Registration Act 1925.since the appellant had sought to distinguish the â€Å"word actual occupation† as mentioned in the said section from her real status. The House of Lords ruled that actual occupation had only its literal meaning of physical presence and as long as she was physically present in the matrimonial home with all the rights of an occupied. Hence the wife had an overriding interest even though it could be argued that hers was the equitable interest as a minor interest entitled her interest only in the proceeds of a sale. The mortgagee bank failed to verify the factual position at their peril. Thus an equitable mortgagee does not get priority over an equitable interest of which he is deemed to have constructive notice.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Theory of Asymmetric Conflict

Theory of Asymmetric Conflict Within this assignment I will be critically evaluating the usefulness of Asymmetric conflict and also looking at the legitimacy of motivations for the use of political violence. To support this argument Northern Ireland will be used as the main case study within this assignment. Firstly I will be defining what is meant by asymmetric violence. The majority of conflicts that happen within the modern world are not between states, but rather between contesting groups that are within states, or between combatants and existing states. Within (Aggestam,2002) book, he suggests that these types of conflicts can often be classified as asymmetric because the stronger party, frequently a state authority, is able to draw upon a various number of power resources that widens its range of strategies in conflict. Whereas, on the other hand non-state actors are much more restrained and limited in the options that they have. Aggestam, also reported that there is an imbalance in the available means to wage conflict and the ability to do so, In the levels of losses that can be sustained, or the resources to sustain a prolonged conflict. A good example of this would be the forces that surrounded the conflict within Northern Ireland which emerged in the late 1960s, which widely became known as troubles, this resulted in the deaths of more than 3,600 people. Within recent years Asymmetric conflict has grown into prominence and use while there still remains no universal agreement as to their meaning. The term asymmetric warfare has been used in the context of new terrorism to refer to non-state forces using unconventional and unpredictable acts of political violence against states. (Martin, 2006, pp. 270-271). Asymmetric conflicts that happen between state and non-state actors does not just relate to military resources. (Mitchell, 1991) highlights the importance of asymmetry when determining the conflict that is happening. These typically include lack of access to legal redress or legitimate political representation. In asymmetric conflict, groups can usually find themselves without effective access to the political system, the reason for this is that historically they might have been deliberately marginalized within the state; this was the case of the catholic minority population in Northern Ireland. States often have and use the power to construct and structure notions of legitimacy and to enforce state legitimacy through dominant discourses and political and legal processes. However challenges to the state from members of non-state groups often begin from a presumption of illegitimacy, in the groups interest, legitimacy, this becomes a kind of moral judgment that contributes to the asymmetry of conflict. (Paul, 1994) points out that weak states (Or weak groups) may often begin conflict, especially when they believe that the specific situation will in somewhat stay the same or progress into something worse if they do not take action. Terrorism has often been viewed as the weapon of the weak that is directed at a stronger adversary. the perceptions of a group that believes that there is great injustice against them, or even that their continued existence is threatened and may be in danger can often provide the weaker group with the sufficient resolve to battle against the stronger power, (Mack, 1975) states his research around Vietnam, he says that where a weaker group of indigenous insurgents proved successful in defeating the military forces, firstly in France and then the USA, this highlights just how important the beliefs of the non-state actors are in determining the resolve of combatants. Both France and the USA were unable to marshal sufficient domestic support for the continued commitment that would have been necessary to secure a military victory. (Mitchell, 1991) agrees with Aggestam, in highlighting the importance of perception in understanding what constitutes asymmetry. In conflict situation, it is possible for both sides to believe that they suffer from structural weakness. (Rouhan and Fiske, 1995) point out a great example of this, the example is that Israel considers itself weak against the Arab world, but the Palestinians see themselves as less powerful against Israel. This is described as survivability. Macks assertion that it is the relationship between the belligerents that is the key factor in terms of asymmetry, (Mack, 1975, p.81) looks at the views of combatants and how they are changed by others, he also looks at how relationships are altered to the point where overt conflict can end, or at least be transformed. However one answer is obviously clear in that a victory for one side over the other does not necessarily mean a victory for the b est equipped army or state. However, there are other answers; these include various forms of mediation, resolution, negotiation or transformation of the conflict to a point where agreement can be reached between the contesting groups. (Ruane and Todd, 2007) said while it has been suggested that, historically, symmetric conflicts may have leant themselves to a greater openness to mediation, it is clear that asymmetric conflicts can also be brought to negotiation under certain conditions. (Quinn et al, 2006) and (Mitchell, 1991) both argue that once the parties involved have both agreed to come to the negotiating table, asymmetry offers a distinct advantage because the same promises and commitments do not have to be made to different groups, as a result of this, instead, different rewards and benefits can be offered, a factor that prevents further conflict from taking place over the same goods or resources. (Quinn et al, 2006) argues that, although the stronger party has the ability t o take action against the weaker enemy, this may provoke an extreme reaction and end up starting a new round of conflict. This in itself can act as a deterrent. However when the stronger party enters the negotiations and agrees to change and compromise, this can move the peace process along quickly because all recognise they are making concessions from a position of strength. (Aggestam, 2002) says that for a weaker party, negotiations can become attractive, this is due to the possible involvement of outside forces, thus leading to international intervention that in turn may guarantee legal regulation and legitimacy for their position. Looking at (Zartman, 2003) idea of the mutually hurting stalemate , he believes that when this moment is finally reached, the parties that are involved view the conflict as ripe, as a result of this they put out feelers as to the possibility of an accord. Once both negotiations begin, both asymmetric and symmetric conflicts face a number of problems. (Aggestam, 2002) points out that the resulting agreement of peace might be intentionally ambiguous, in order to ensure that the parties sign up for the new settlement. This was certainly the case for Northern Ireland where the agreement was interpreted very differently by all the major parties that were involved. As Aggestam stated, however this may in turn open up a host of new disagreements as actors argue about interpretation and implementation, for example, such as the demands by the unionist within Northern Ireland for disarming republican paramilitaries before agreed political structures could be set within place and action. While looking at Northern Ireland it is possible to conceptualize the entire history of this countrys state as one of asymmetric conflict. Northern Ireland was contested from its formation, and the outcome of this it created a result of the 1920 Government of Ireland Act following negotiations after a war of independence in Ireland. This itself is seen an asymmetric conflict. However as a result of this, it led to the partition of the Island, Leaving Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom. The minority of the Catholic nationalist that remained within Northern Ireland complained that the new set-up was marked by discrimination in employment, a partial distribution of resources such as housing, and a number of inequalities in relation to electoral practice and the organization of the security forces. This served to alienate the minority from the state whose legitimacy they already denied. However (Mack, 1975) has little problem labelling the conflict within Northern Ireland as asymm etric. Mack saw the parties as the powerful and well-equipped British Army and the smaller insurgent republican force. However (Mitchell,1991) views of the conflict detected structural asymmetry in terms of access, with nationalists as victims of asymmetric access, where adversaries are likely to have very different abilities to voice their concerns and have them dealt with. When looking at the conflict that was happening within Northern Ireland a number of asymmetric factors can be detected. Most obvious, in terms of military might, were the resources of the British state, which vastly outranked and outgunned those of the republican paramilitaries. From what is stated above it is clearly identifiable that the conflict within Northern Ireland to be labelled as asymmetric, whereby the weaker combatants, in this case paramilitary organization used non-traditional strategies to engage a stronger opponent, the British state. In order for the peace process in Ireland to succeed all major actors needed to be brought to the point where a minimal but broad consensus among political leaders and the population at large about the desirability of common future could be constructed. The peace process within Northern Ireland was a product of recognition of realities by all participants in the conflict. For Irish republicans this involved acknowledgement that the goal of a united Ireland was unattainable in the short or medium terms and that there was a scant utility in a campaign of violence designed to sicken the brits into withdrawal from Northern Ireland. When looking at the asymmetric conflict theory and (Mack, 1975) article why big nation lose small wars, his analysis focused mostly on the French and their defeat in Algeria and the U.S defeat in Vietnam, Asymmetry of the power to win war was systematically and inversely related to the political vulnerability of each respective actor. However Macks arguments begin with power asymmetry and this shows how power asymmetry generally lead to interest asymmetry, this is where weak actors are perfectly interested because their very survival is at stake, strong actors marginally interested because their survival is in no way threatened. However interest asymmetry essentially leads to a form of inverse political vulnerability, this is because weak actors are resolute and they do not suffer politically from military setbacks, whereas strong actors become vulnerable to even the most minor setback as the war is carried on. Therefore Macks analysis primarily considers the motivations of states or quasi-states as actors and how structural relationships implies other asymmetries which aggregate to explain the outcomes, this means that weak actors will win whenever an asymmetric conflict lasts longer than expected, this was the case for the United states losing the Vietnam war because the North Vietnamese where fanatically committed to victory and the U.S was not. This resulted in the conflict lasting far beyond what the United States anticipated. Although Macks theory of asymmetric conflict is a powerful piece of analysis, it leads to an unresolved question and that is, why dont strong actors lose asymmetric conflicts more often than they do. When looking at Power, threat and intensity around the Arab-Israeli conflict and considering asymmetry, it is clear that from the findings within (Rouhana and Fiske, 1995) journal that the power relation between the Jewish and Arab communities in Israel are asymmetric by consensus, as both attribute more power to the Jewish community. As for asymmetry of power it is clear than both groups involved agree that the Jewish population has more power. However the findings within the Journal specifically state that there are implications for the future of the relationship between Israel and its Arab citizens, particularly after the recent agreements between Israel and the Palestinians. This is due to the fact that Israel is a state with two groups of citizens, both of them aware that only one group, the Jewish majority, Asymmetrically controls institutional power, However this is likely to be challenged by the minority, for example, the stronger that the minority grows or becomes, demographically, economically and politically the more likely that it will become to challenge the asymmetric power distribution. Even in drastically asymmetric institution power relations between the groups in conflict, not all types of power are asymmetric; power asymmetry is better measured by referring to types of power rather than just one type of power. However if a dynamic Palestinian polity emerges within the West bank and Gaza, it could actually be strengthened by a heightened sense of intensity of conflict over power, as it states within the journal the Jewish majority shows a profound sense of threat, some of which originates in the existence of the Arab minority itself, except for common concern over Israeli democracy. However the two groups do not seem to share any sources of reassurance or threat and this then brings to the question of shared identity between the two groups who are both citizens of the same state. (Smooha, 1984, 1992) specifically argues that the Arabs that are in Israel have developed a strong component of Israeli identity. (Rouhana, 1993) postulates that the Israeli component of the Arabs collective identity does not include a sense of belonging towards the state. This develops a sense of attachment because the uninational superstructure excludes their identity, this might be the case that the absence of identity is related to the perception of gross asymmetry in the distribution of institutional power, if only one group, the majority is perceived to control institutional power and the minority is somehow perceived to be excluded from the power centres, including determining the character of the state, distribution of political repre sentation and economic power, then it is possible that genuine power sharing is required as a prior condition for the development of collective identity. As we all know today Asymmetric wars are being used and waged for reasons such as political violence, religious, ethnic, economical and criminal reasons. However terrorism as asymmetric warfare threatens global security, suicide bombings are a severely dangerous part of asymmetrical warfare and that everything should be done in order to stop the attacks from happening. It could be said that all nations must unite and support each other in the global war of terrorism; however some countries are taking advantage of the attacks within other countries to settle their personal scores with the weaker adversaries. Today Israel has labelled Palestinian struggle for statehood as terrorism, Asymmetrical warfare and even terrorism cannot be eradicated by crushing the legitimate rights of aggressive people, Extremists groups for example the Al-Qaeda will keep finding a way to sprout up and will no doubt continue their asymmetrical struggles till justice is done. There are many ways that conflicts can be defined as asymmetric; these include differentiated access to material resources, access to political decision-making processes or the legal structure of the state. However it is of course possible to define recent history of conflicts in Northern Ireland in this way. However the development of the peace process highlighted an increase in recognition by both state and non-state actors that stalemate had emerged and that military victory or defeat for either side did not seem probable. However the key points that emerged from Northern Ireland is the potential for manipulation or perception during pea ce negotiations, constructive ambiguity in the process allowed republican and unionist leaderships to offer different rewards to their communities. In this sense, Aggestams argument that an asymmetric conflict is resolvable when different rewards can be offered to each side emphasises on parity of esteem for the national aspirations and identities of unionists and Irish nationalists created a space in which self determination could appear to be realized without altering the status of Northern Ireland. However it is the adjustment to the perception of a conflict bases on symmetry of need, rather than resources and military will, that fostered a peace agreement in what was previously thought to be an intractable situation. References: Aggestam, K. (2002). Mediating Conflict. Mediterranean Politics. 7 (1), 69-91. Mack, A. (1975). Why big nations lose small wars:. The politics of asymmetric conflict. world politics, 27 (2), 175-200. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.libaccess.hud.ac.uk/stable/2009880?pq-origsite=summon. McAuley, J., McGlynn, C., Tonge, J. (2008). Conflict resolution in asymmetric and symmetric situations: Northern Ireland as a case study in. Dynamics of asymmetric conflict, 10 , 88-102. doi: 10.1080/17467580802284712. Mitchell, C.R. (1991). Classifying conflicts. Asymmetry and resolution. 518 , 23-38. Paul, T.V. (1994). Asymmetric conflicts: war initiation by weaker powers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Quinn, D., Wilkenfeld, J., Smarick, K., Asal, A. (2006). Power play: Mediation in symmetric and asymmetric international crises.. International interactions. 32 , 441-470. Rouhan, N. Fiske, S. (1995). Perception of power, threat and conflict intensity in asymmetric intergroup conflict:. Arab and Jewish citizens of Israel. Journal of conflict resolution, 39 (1), 49-81. doi: 10.1177/0022002795039001003.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Send-Off, by Wilfred Owen Essay -- English Literature:

The Send-Off, by Wilfred Owen, is an ironic and dark humored description of how the soldiers The Send-Off The Send-Off, by Wilfred Owen, is an ironic and dark humored description of how the soldiers we’re sent off to the battlefront, during World War I (keyword â€Å"The Send-Off†). In this poem, Owen conveys to us that the soldiers are being sent to their doom. From the very start we sense the soldiers’ lost fate. The soldiers go to the train, they are singing joyfully, as if they are being sent to a country picnic, but of course the narration is omniscient, we know what lies ahead of them, and so simultaneously the lanes are darkening around them. Secondly, the soldiers are surrounded by wreath and spray, a wreath and a spray are decorative flower arrangements usually plac...

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Reader Response to Memoirs of a Geisha Essay -- Memoirs of a Geisha Es

Reader Response to Memoirs of a Geisha Memoirs of a Geisha is Arthur Golden's debut novel, written exquisitely with great detail. It was initially written as a novel that would depict the son borne of a geisha and a Japanese businessman, but once he had learned the true nature of a geisha, he changed his topic. Golden discovered the intrigue of the geisha - the attributes that draw in the geisha's customers, that make them an irreplaceable part of Japanese history, that make them human as well as the ideal of what a woman should be. When these features were displayed through Sayuri's voice, the novel became an emotionally enrapturing story, which drew in the reader and captivated the heart. I, personally, was affected deeply by this novel. I have always been drawn in by Japanese culture, even as a child. When I learned of the geisha for the first time, I thought I even wanted to be one someday. While reading this novel, any fantasies I may have had of what a geisha was were completely reshaped. Thi s novel convinced me that the geisha truly were artists - they were trained and hired as musicians, dancers, conversationalists, jokesters, and "drinking buddies", so to speak. The geisha incorporate both the demure and the vulgar aspects of the human spirit, and created instead a playful and desirable companion for the stressed and lonely businessmen. When I learned of the "mizuage," the supposed Japanese term for the occasion upon which a young geisha's virginity is auctioned off to the highest bidder, I was absolutely shocked. Here was a culture that had prided... ...d my eyes to new styles of writing. While the writing was simple, it crossed the same barriers that were emotionally crossed throughout the novel. Initially I did not think it possible, but after reading the novel I found it to be true - it is possible for people to truly understand one another despite any boundaries. Whether they be due to gender, age, culture, politics, or any other reason, these boundaries can be overcome by simply learning about one another, about everyone's own personal histories, and trying to understand them as people rather than objects. Memoirs of a Geisha defied many boundaries and was able to create an intimate - and greatly appreciated - relationship between the reader and a fictional geisha from, essentially, another world. It was truly an incredible novel.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Compare Contrast Greek and Roman Art

Compare Contrast Greek And Roman Art And Architecture Compare/Contrast Greek and Roman Art and Architecture Since the onset of Greek and Roman civilizations centuries ago we have seen the art and architectural worlds evolve into what we know them as today. In fact, many of the ancient Greek styles were duplicated by the Romans and modified to suit their needs. We can still see a lot of Greek and Roman influences in the present day, especially in the architectural world. Below I will cite some examples of Greek and Roman pieces of art and a structure from each culture and detail some similarities as well as some contrasting values.I’d like to begin by comparing some pieces of art. In The Fallen Warrior (Greece) and The Dying Gaul (Roman copy) both clearly represent a tragic event. Both subjects are leaning on the ground and seem to be dying but the reality of the event is more evident in the Gaul sculpture. The wound is clearly visible and the anguish of the subject is captured in his poise. Conversely the subject of the Warrior piece looks rather content and shows no visible injury. Both works are roughly the same size and represent a relatively perfect human structure with attention to muscular detail as well as an idealization of the human body.However, the Warrior sculpture shows less optical fact and more stylization as far as the eyes, mouth and beard are concerned when compared to the almost true to nature elements of the Gaul piece. This shows how some of the Greek foundation was carried along but modified by the Romans. In The Three Goddesses (Greece) and Marcus Aurelius on Horseback (Rome) there are many similarities. Each shows fine attention to the cloaks worn by the subjects as well as weight distribution and, if all limbs were present on the Three Goddesses, implied motion.But in the Aurelius sculpture there is a shift from strictly human subjects to the addition of a horse. The Romans did this as part of their love of realism along with the ir later concern for psychologically penetrating portraits. Moving along to architecture I’d like to compare the Parthenon (Greece) and the Pantheon (Rome). Upon looking at each structure you would immediately notice the use of columns. Albeit the Parthenon’s main weight-bearing elements are the columns whereas the columns used on the Pantheon are more aesthetic than functional. Each of these structures also makes use of a portico that originated in the Greek culture.Both structures are immense places of worship to the gods. The Parthenon was created for the goddess Athena but over the centuries it changed through a series of hands finally ending up as an ammunition dump for the Turks during a seventeenth century war with the Venetians. The Venetians bombed the building leaving most of it in ruins. The Pantheon was created as a house for sculptures of Roman gods. Enough care was taken throughout the centuries that this structure is still being used for religious functi ons today. The Parthenon was a more simplistic and ancient looking design where the Pantheon took on a whole new era.The dome came into play along with the many ornamental features seen on the inside as well as the outside of the Pantheon. The interior contains marble slabs and granite columns. These are accentuated when the sun shifts locations through the oculus in the center of the dome. These features reaffirm the fact that the Greek culture was to the point as far as balance of mind and body. They created their work meticulously but didn’t overdo it. Their buildings were functional but not overworked. The Roman culture took it to the next level with their architectural innovations as well as their emphasis on beauty.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Essay

Abstract As defined in the text book motivation is the forces that energize and direct our efforts toward a meaningful goal (Atwater, Duffy & Kirsh, 2005). This paper will look to define motivation and the two common types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic. Which of the two is a moreeffective way of motivation and gives ourselves a higher sense of self-esteem? This paper will also examine different situations where people are motivated, both intrinsically and extrinsically, and the moral and ethical reasoning behind their decisions. Finally from a study done by Joe Gelona there is a look that if one is consciously thinking about what motivates you to complete a task it will result in higher levels of self- motivation. A Look at Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Every goal strived for in life whether it is a short term or long term goal has reasoning behind it, and that reasoning would be motivation. Motivation is defined in the text book as the forces that energize and direct our efforts toward a meaningful goal (Atwater, Duffy & Kirsh, 2005). People are motivated in two different ways; they are motivated intrinsically or extrinsically. Intrinsic motivation, again define in the text book, is â€Å"active engagement with tasks that people find interesting and that, in turn, promote growth and are freely engaged in out of interest† (Atwater et al. 2005). While extrinsic motivation is â€Å"the desire to engage in an activity because it is a means to an end and not because an individual is following his or her inner interests† (Atwater et al. 2005). In other words intrinsic motivation is being driven by internal factors and extrinsic is driven by outside factors in your environment. Motivation comes in two forms, and when are we inclined to use each of them and how do they help improve self- esteem? Some situations that put motivational thinking to the test are things like academic achievement; a study done by Martin Covington examines both the intrinsic and extrinsic factors push students to succeed. Another scenario is a look at situations which take into effect the ethics and moral values of motivational reasoning, and finally does just the thought about whether we are motivated or not have enough influence to motivate us? While people are motivated in two different ways it is hard to pinpoint just which of the two is better for overall well being. A big factor that comes into play is self- esteem, which is someone’s idea of their own personal worth ( Atwater et al. 2005). When thinking of personal worth it seems to make sense that achieving a goal through intrinsic motivation would be best suited to boost self- esteem. A perfect example would be for someone trying to lose weight in order to be in better health. The thought of achieving the goal of a lower weight and looking better all because it is something that a person has wanted to do would be an enormous boost in self esteem once that goal has been accomplished. That is a situation in which self- esteem is benefited from using intrinsic motivation to achieve a personal goal. Extrinsic motivation works a little bit differently towards a self esteem boost, a person in the same situation with the idea of weight loss might only be doing it because they see it socially acceptable to look skinny and healthy. Another way to put that would be to say that the person is looking for self verification, in the textbook Atwater et al. (2005) classify that as doing something that will elicit positive feedback from others to verify our own self perceptions. So that same situation using the extrinsic way of motivation that person would raise their self esteem by getting that positive feedback from others after they achieved their weight loss goal. That is just one scenario in which both types of motivation can be shown to improve self esteem, either internally motivated (intrinsic) or from environmental factors and self verification (extrinsic). Moving forward we will look as some more specific situations where someone may be motivated intrinsically or extrinsically. Martin Covington wrote an article, Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation in Schools: A Reconciliation, which examines reasons why students are academically motivated by either intrinsic or extrinsic methods. Covington (2000) first points out that the academic system is set up with external rewards for students in the form of grades, so it is easy to see where students would almost always be motivated extrinsically. Students on the other hand are motivated intrinsically when they put aside the external rewards of getting good grades and become satisfied with overcoming the  challenge of learning something new and interesting (Covington, 2000). In the article Covington (2000) says that the idea of students learning for matters for their own sake is often destroyed by having external rewards such as grades for incentives. This proposes the argument that if the external rewards are taken away how likely is it that students will still be intrinsically motivated to learn? Moen and Doyle make the statement in an article that mention certain aspects of colleges such as the course material and programs to study that are contributing factors for how hard and willingly college students will learn (1978). This makes the point that being intrinsically motivated towards school will be very beneficial towards the learning process. Now when look at the high school education structure compared to colleges it is easy to see where at one level students are motivated intrinsically compared to extrinsically. In high school where the courses are mapped out and the learning of certain subjects is forced the only motivation for most students is extrinsic because they are really just seeking the external rewards of achieving good grades. Compare this to a college set up where students have the choice of what subjects they wish to study where they will be more intrinsically motivated to learn for the benefit that they find topics interesting and are looking for that internal challenge (Doyle & Moen, 1978). Ending with the idea of boosting self esteem either method of motivation works, it just depends on the person and whether they are satisfied by the external rewards of grades or if they prefer the self satisfaction of mastering a new subject. As shown previously intrinsic and extrinsic motivation plays a big part in the ways students learn, but which of the two methods plays a bigger role when it comes to students and cheating? Rettinger, Jordan & Peschiera (2004) did a study of 103 undergraduate college students who took a study to determine their motivation orientation, and then they read a vignette about someone who has the ability to cheat. The researchers were able to determine who would cheat and who would not based on their motivational orientation. Rettinger et al. (2004) states that students identify both the intrinsic and extrinsic goals for their classes and there for can decide whether they will be motivated by grades or self interest in the course. They found that students who had been intrinsically motivated in school were less likely to  cheat compared to the students who had extrinsic goals (Rettinger et al. 2004). Rettinger et al. (2004) says that the intrinsically motivated students showed lower levels of anxiety, better study habits and a better attitude towards academics. The results if this study were that â€Å"eighty-three percent of participants admitted to having cheated during their college career† (Rettinger et al, 2004). Students are always made aware that cheating is not allowed but why do the extrinsically motivated students continue to do so anyway? Garrard & McNaughton (1998) say that someone the justification of one’s moral reasoning can keep them motivated enough to follow through with the act even though they know it is wrong. They use an example of someone who wishes to give up smoking and is there for motivated to quit, but may still find reason to fail and just give up (Garrard & McNaughton, 1998). So the extrinsically motivated person who is only focused on the grade reward part of school may know that the only way to achieve their grade is through cheating and therefore goes through with that act. Again as shown in the Rettinger, Jordan & Peschiera (2004) study college students are going to cheat but it is the extrinsically motivated students who are more likely to do so than those students who are intrinsically motivated towards school. Gelona (2011) says that â€Å"motivation can indeed be considered as a key ingredient for successful pursuit of goals and for attaining desired outcomes and well-being.† Joe Gelona did a study where he looked at the extent to which people think about what motivates them and the possible effect on their motivational level (Gelona, 2011). It is interesting to think about how just simply thinking about being motivated to do a particular task can actually increase your level of motivation. Gelona (2011) found in his results of interviews that only 39.5% of the interviewees said they â€Å"often or usually† think about what motivates them to do something. Thinking back to the scenario of a weight loss goal and how people are intrinsically or extrinsically motivated to do so, in order to continue to push through to their goal they will have to constantly be thinking about what is motivating them to continue. Gelona (2011) stated that people who were consciously thinking about what motivates them will be more motivated to achieve their goals and desired outcomes in life. The  overall findings of the study showed that â€Å"most people do not seem to think about what will motivate them prior to taking action on an important goal† (Gelona, 2011). Gelona (2011) makes the claim that the use of motivational coaching can be found helpful in situations such as: * Helping clients who wish to generate and maintain greater self- motivation. * Helping clients to regain lost motivation. * Helping clients strengthen their persistence in pursuit of desired goals. In Joe Gelona’s study he claims that people will have higher levels of self- motivation and be more likely to achieve goals if they are consciously thinking about what motivates them, unfortunately he found that most of the people he interviewed did not think that way (Gelona, 2011). Atwater et al. (2005) defined motivation as the forces that energize and direct our efforts toward a meaningful goal. People become either intrinsically or extrinsically motivated so achieve goals and for better to improve their self- esteem. As pointed out by Covington (2000) students approach academics with either intrinsic or extrinsic motives to achieve their boost in self-esteem levels. One of the only varying differences in the two is when it came to academic dishonesty in the Rettinger, Jordan & Peschiera (2004) that students who were extrinsically motivated were found more likely to cheat than those who were intrinsically motivated. All in all both theories of motivation are successful in helping achieve higher levels of self- esteem. References Covington, M. (2000). Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation in Schools: Reconciliation. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9, 22-25. Duffy, K., Atwater, E., & Kirsh, S. (2005). Psychology for Living: Adjustment, Growth, And Behavior Today. (Tenth ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ((Duffy, Atwater & Kirsh, 2005) Gelona, J. (2011). Does Thinking About Motivation Boost Motivation Levels? The Coaching Psychologist, 7, 42-48. Gerrard, E., & McNaughton, D. (1998). Mapping Moral Motivation. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 1, 45-59. Moen, Ross. Doyle, Kenneth O. (1978). Measures of Academic Motivation: A Conceptual Review. Research in Higher Education, 8, 1-23. Rettinger, D., Jordan, A., & Peschiera, F. (2004). Evaluating the Motivation of Other Students to Cheat: A Vignette Experiment. Research in Higher Education,45, 873-890.